Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid Quotes
November 1, 2023
OPENING STATEMENT: “As far as the injuries go, Jerick McKinnon, we’re going to hold him out. He’s got a sore groin that he’s been battling the last couple of weeks. And then Willie Gay with the lower back contusion won’t practice to today. (He’s) getting better, just won’t practice today. Look forward to the challenge of playing the Dolphins real good football team, well coached and good players. To add to the business side of it, Richie James’ window has been opened, so he can practice, and we’ll just see how that goes. Back to the Dolphins, good football team and look forward to that challenge, look forward to going to Germany to play, it’s a unique situation. With that, time’s yours.”
Q: How is Patrick Mahomes doing with the hand?
REID: “He’s doing better. It’s getting better, healing up. More contusions and scratches and cuts than anything.”
Q: Is the flu gone for Patrick Mahomes?
REID: “The flu is gone.”
Q: Is there a chance Willie Gay goes on IR?
REID: “I don’t think so, but we’ll see. I don’t want to give you a yea or nay, but he’s making progress right now, which is a good thing. I don’t think it’s that though.”
Q: What are you looking for in the second half in terms of improvement from your wide receivers?
REID: “We’re going to be okay there. Just keep getting better, all the way along, it’s not just a wide receiver thing, it’s all of us. A week ago, we were saying how good they did, just keep the consistency going on the offensive side is what we need to do – all the way around, not just the wide receivers.”
Q: Have you felt frustrations with mistakes by the wide receivers?
REID: “When you don’t play well, I think all of the guys are frustrated, that’s what’s going to help make us better. You have to work through it, that’s what we’re doing.”
Q: When Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill was here did you ever have a defense figure out how to stop him? What is the challenge of facing him?
REID: “He’s a great player, that’s the bottom line. You might slow him down, but he is going to make plays somewhere. That’s what makes him the player he is. He’s got speed, quickness, and he’s smart.”
Q: Do you see any differences in Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill now versus when he was here?
REID: “He’s pretty good.”
Q: Would you have liked to have had more runs with Isiah Pacheco against the Broncos?
REID: “I think you kind of hit it, the rhythm of it allows you to do that as you go, and the numbers end up being better than they were. On the other side of it, they threw it only 19 times there, those things happen, depending on the rhythm, turnovers. That was an unusual thing for us to turn the ball over like that – three in the first half, that’s a tough deal.”
Q: Are you satisfied with where the run blocking is?
REID: “The thing I can give you is all the way along – all of us – along that side of the football (need to be) more consistent, that’s what we need. We’ve got some good things we’re doing, putting up a lot of yards and so on, but getting into the endzone becomes important, not turning the ball over, basic fundamentals. We’ve got to take care of that. It’s my responsibility to get that done, and we’re working on it. We’ll try to get ourselves better this week.”
Q: What has held Skyy Moore back and what gives you confidence that he’ll get it figured out?
REID: “Skyy (Moore) is doing well. We’re just rotating a lot of guys in there, so opportunities. I mentioned about the one throw – I think you guys probably get that on your computer there – you get that arm yanked down, it ends up being a one armed catch. He took a lot of heat for that. For the most part Skyy is doing a heck of a job for us, just keep him growing.”
Q: How important is trying to keep your routine as much as you can this week with the trip to Germany?
REID: “It’s a road game, that’s how you look at it – a long road game, you have to travel a little bit. With that, you try as much as you can to keep the guys in routine. With the help of all the people in the organization we have that about down to where they can do that with the exception that they’ve got to get some rest on that plane. It’s a nice big plane, comfy little things, they can do their thing there. You try to do that the best you can. We do the same thing on the road, try to keep it consistent.”
Q: When you’ve played in Europe, what issues arose that you didn’t expect?
REID: “It’s noise – it’s like the Super Bowl that way – it’s constant noise, not for one team or the other team, and it’s normally loud, it’s not just a buzz. You listen to the soccer matches that they have, and it’s loud, it’s very similar to that. You’ve got to make sure you’re aware of that before you get there. We’ve done everything, we’ve had people visit over there to check the fields and the hotels and all those things. The people have been great from Germany. Their hospitality with that, we look forward to getting over there and settling in. I think as humans we like to get a little settled in, so we’ll do that with the couple of days that we have.”
Q: Will your routine be different than you have on a normal Friday?
REID: “It will be the same practice. We’ll have the same practice schedule, meetings before that. It’s just a little later in the day and then there’s some media obligations that a few of the guys are going to do – they get to work with some kids there, and those are all things they like doing and what they do in our community here.”
Q: Do you get to be normal with your routine there?
REID: “Well you might be the first person that (has) called me normal (laughter). I’ll take that as a compliment. Yeah, for the most part yeah.”
Q: How can the addition of Darius Harris help the team?
REID: “He is a good football player. He can help on special teams; he knows the defense, so that part’s good.”
Q: What is your comfort level with the hybrid playing surface they have in Germany?
REID: “Actually we had that (a hybrid field) when I was in Philadelphia, where they inject the artificial turf within the grass, and it worked fine. Football is huge here for us. Soccer is real big there, and they make sure those fields are nice so I don’t think there will be a problem at all.”
Q: Do you practice having that constant crowd noise you mentioned?
REID: “We do the music here, so we’ll just keep it rolling on both sides.”
Q: Are you a guy who can sleep well on a plane?
REID: “Going to London I stayed up for a while then slept for a bit. Yeah, a bit of that though, as long as I can fit in the chair (laughter).”
Q: Sprichst du Deutsch, oder nein? (Do you speak German, or no?)
REID: “Nein (No). (Laughter) I’m actually a quarter German believe it or not. (I’m) not sure what quarter though (laughter).”
DE CHARLES OMENIHU
Q: Are you excited to go to Germany?
OMENIHU: “I am, it’s going to be fun. International games are always fun, and then the fans across the water, they love it. They eat it up. Just another way of connecting with the people across (the water).”
Q: Are you concerned about resting your body and getting sleep since you are traveling so far for this game?
REID: “Not really. Your mind has to be set on, you have a job to do, regardless of if you go and be there for a week or if you’re there for two days. It doesn't really matter to me; my mindset is on Sunday. You have to be ready to go regardless.”
Q: After the loss to the Broncos, do you feel more focus and energy from the team this week?
OMENIHU: “No, because that means you weren’t focused the last week. So, if you have to turn that on and off, that’s a problem. I don’t think that’s in this organizations’ DNA. I think every week is handled the same. We handle every game like it’s the Super Bowl. You don’t turn it on and off because you’re playing against a different opponent. I think that’s losing football, and I don’t think that’s what we have going on here.”
Q: On Joe Cullen and his coaching style.
OMENIHU: “I think (Defensive Line Coach) Joe (Cullen) gets the most out of anybody that he has. I think he’s the guy that pushes you, I think he strives for you to finish. I mean Joe wants guys who can play the run, set edge, and get after the quarterback. If he sees that talent in you, he’s going to get it out of you, and if you have that, he’s going to maximize whatever is left or whatever you haven’t tapped in to.”
LB DRUE TRANQUILL
Q: How do you feel about the linebacker room since there have been injuries and you have had to step up?
TRANQUILL: “I think we can hold up well. I think we have great personnel in that room. I think we’ve got a great leader in (Linebackers) Coach Brendan Daly, and I think they do a great job of putting us in good positions. Obviously, we’re deep in that room. We’ve got good experience, and as guys heal, we’re going to have to have other guys step up, and we’ll certainly continue to do that.”
Q: Have you traveled and played in an international game before?
TRANQUILL: “I did Mexico City my rookie year.”
Q: How do you prepare yourself for a game when travel is a major part of the trip?
TRANQUILL: “I think there’s obviously factors that you know like dehydration, sleep will be critical. Like I said, I’ve never flown overseas this way, so it’s going to be new to me, it’s going to be new to a lot of our jobs, and it’s just a part of our job. We’re pro athletes. We’ve got to find a way. I don’t think we’ll have an issue of being juiced up and ready to go this Sunday.”
Q: When your quarterback is not feeling well but still plays, what message does this send to you?
TRANQUILL: “I think it just speaks to Pat’s (Mahomes) character. He’s a competitor, he wants to be the best, wants to be the greatest, and you see that each and every Sunday. He’s going to do everything he can to be out there.”
WR SKYY MOORE
Q: Are there personal areas that you want to improve in the second half of the season?
MOORE: “Yeah, just do a better job of finishing the opportunities that I get. When they come, just make the play.”
Q: You guys rotate through receivers every game. Does doing this add to the challenge of staying in the rhythm?
MOORE: “I don’t really see it as a challenge. We’re hitting – everybody is getting in, it’s seven totally different receivers, so new weapons each play.”
Q: What are you anticipating on this trip?
MOORE: “Really, for me just the plane ride. Just getting over there and being able to stay hydrated and stay in shape ready to play a football game.”
Q: How do you expect the offense to come out after the Denver game?
MOORE: “I would expect us to come out firing on all cylinders. I feel like every position group knows what they have to do, and we’re going to hone on in to the details and get the job done.”